Here's the exact 3-step system I use in my coaching program: Step 1: Positioning (Generating Interviews) Forget job applications. That market is flooded with AI spam. Focus on LinkedIn instead: • Build your personal brand • Connect with recruiters, hiring managers and developers • Engage with quality content in your space • Build relationships through DMs, not just generic convos Your LinkedIn SSI score should be 50+. The average is 31. Mine is 80. Profile optimization takes 30 minutes. Do it today. Target KPI: 2-5 interviews per week. Step 2: Selling Yourself This is where you actually win the offer: • Preparation: Research the company, culture, and role. 15-30 minutes makes all the difference. • Pitching: Tailor your story to each company's needs. • Negotiations: This is your highest leverage point. $5K-$50K increases are realistic. Pro tip: use ranges, not single numbers. Target KPIs: 80%+ behavioral pass rate. Step 3: Technical Skills Master fundamentals first. Most engineers skip the basics. System design is essential for higher salaries. DSA is still required in the US, but it's overrated. Here's what most people miss: Engineers over-invest in technical prep and under-invest in positioning and sales. Target KPI: 50%+ technical-to-offer conversion. At 3.5 years of experience, I was earning more than my technical mentor with 10+ years. Why? I knew how to sell myself and find quality offers. The first two steps create the biggest income jumps. And you can improve them in weeks, not months. Your job search is a marketing and sales problem, not just a skills problem. Treat it like one. Want a more detailed explanation? Watch the attached video!

I spent 7 years grinding as a developer. Made every mistake in the book. But the last year? I've helped 50+ developers skip the pain and go straight to $150K+ roles. Here are the 7 lies that kept me (and probably you) underpaid: LIE #1: "I need more experience" ❌ I had 5 years experience making $80K ✅ My client had 3.5 years experience, now makes $140K The difference? She knew how to TALK about her experience. You don't need more time. You need better storytelling. LIE #2: "The market is saturated" ❌ Yes, for generic "full-stack developers" ✅ No, for "Specialists who scale healthcare solutions" Riches are in the niches. Every "saturated" market has desperate gaps. Find yours. LIE #3: "I need to know everything" Stop trying to master: → React, Vue, Angular, Svelte → Node, Python, Go, Rust → AWS, Azure, GCP → Docker, K8s, Terraform Start mastering: → ONE language deeply → ONE stack completely → ONE problem specifically Specialists earn 2-3x generalists. LIE #4: "My GitHub speaks for itself" No. It doesn't. Recruiters spend 6 seconds on your profile. They're not reading your code. They want to see: • Clear results • Specific experience with a tech stack • Business impact • Social proof • Professional presentation Code is your craft. Marketing is your income. LIE #5: "I'm not senior enough to charge premium rates" I've seen junior developers charging $100/hour. I've seen 10-year veterans stuck at $60/hour. Your rate isn't about years. It's about PERCEIVED value. Position yourself as the expert who solves expensive problems. Price yourself accordingly. LIE #6: "I need more certifications" That AWS certification won't change your life. You know what will? → A LinkedIn presence that attracts opportunities → Testimonials from companies with a strong brand → A personal brand that screams "expert" → A portfolio that demonstrates clear ROI Certifications are resume padding. Results are career rocket fuel. LIE #7: "Negotiating is awkward, I'll just take what they offer"

Technical skills will get you in the door. Selling yourself gets you the corner office. I see it every day: Mediocre web developers with great communication skills out-earning brilliant engineers who can't articulate their value. The tech industry sold you a lie: "Just be a 10x developer and success will follow." Reality check: • Companies hire people they like • Promotions go to those who advocate for themselves • Higher salaries come from negotiation, not just competence The developer who can explain complex problems simply? They get the leadership role. The one who builds rapport with stakeholders? They get trusted with bigger projects. The person who confidently negotiates? They get paid what they're worth. Being likable, energetic, and confident isn't "fake." It's a skill set that compounds your technical abilities. And here's the thing: It's a numbers game. Not every company will be your match. Not every interviewer will get you. But when you combine solid skills with strong communication? You don't need everyone to say yes. You just need the right ones. In my latest video: "Why Lying Gets You Overpaid And Hired" I break down exactly how to leverage your full skill set (not just your code) Stop waiting for your code to speak for itself. Watch the video 👇 #TechCulture #SoftSkills #DeveloperAdvice #CareerStrategy #TechCareers #SoftwareEngineering

I bombed my first 3 tech interviews. Not because I couldn't code. But because I froze when asked "Tell me about yourself." If you've ever blanked on a simple question while your brain screamed the answer, this one's for you. I just dropped a video covering the 30 most common Software Engineer interview questions. No fluff. No generic advice you'll forget in 5 minutes. This isn't about memorizing scripts. It's about understanding the WHY behind each question so you can answer with confidence. Stop Googling scattered answers at 2am before your interview. Everything you need is in one place. Watch it. Practice it. Land the offer. Link to the full video is in the comments below. What's the one interview question that always trips you up? Drop it below - let's help each other out.

Your next tech interview could tank in the first 5 minutes. Not because you can't code, but because of what you said. I've mentored hundreds of engineers through technical interviews. The ones who land offers? They avoid these career-killing phrases: 1. "My current company is a mess" Never trash your employer. Instead: "I'm looking for opportunities to work on more complex systems and grow my skills in X." Positivity signals maturity. 2. "Let me guess the answer" Interviewers can smell BS from miles away. If you're unsure, say it: "I haven't worked with that specific tool, but I'd approach it by researching X first. Mind if I look it up real quick?" Honesty beats ego every time. 3. "I don't know" (and nothing else) Bridge the gap: "I haven't used GraphQL, but I've worked extensively with REST APIs. The concepts seem similar, and I'm excited to learn the differences." Show how you connect dots. 4. Generic buzzwords without proof "I'm a self-starter" means nothing. This does: "I noticed our deploy times were 40 minutes, researched CI/CD optimizations, and reduced them to 12 minutes." Specifics sell. Buzzwords don't. 5. Questions Google could answer "What does your company do?" is lazy. Instead: "I saw you recently launched Y feature. How does that fit into your product roadmap?" Research shows you care. The engineers who get offers aren't always the most technical. They're the ones who communicate like professionals. What's the worst thing you've heard someone say in an interview?